As the floods of God wash away sin city
They say it was written in the page of the Lord
But I was looking for that great jazz note
That destroyed the walls of Jericho
The winds of fear whip away the sickness
The messages on the tablet was valium
As the planets form that golden cross Lord
I'll see you on the holy cross roads
After all this time to believe in Jesus
After all those drugs I thought I was Him
After all my lying and a-crying
And my suffering
I ain't good enough
I ain't clean enough
To be Him
The tribal wars burning up the homeland
The fuel of evil is raining from the sky
The sea of lava flowing down the mountain
The time will sweep us sinners by
Holy rollers roll
Give generously now
Pass the hubcap please
Thank you Lord
~~ “Sound of the Sinners” by The Clash
I often pass a church on my way home from the grocery store or the library and they always have a pithy saying on their sign. I think there is a website where churches get these sayings because I’ve seen other posts with the similar lame sentiments.
My personal favorite is, and always will be, “Stop Drop and Roll Doesn’t Work in Hell.”
Now that is some freakin’ WISDOM right there!
I don’t generally go around getting pissed off at church signs. I usually just roll my eyes and cruise right on by. But last week’s sign caught my eye and it really did piss me off.
It was the saying there in the photo.
I may or may not have flipped the sign off as I drove by. (Okay, I totally flipped off the sign. Double bird, too.)
I find that sentiment completely offensive. I live a full and happy life completely god-free, and I know plenty of others who do, too. Our lives are not pointless. How dare this church or any other church tell me that my life is pointless? (And let’s not even get into the fact that they are comparing me to a pencil. If anything, I’d choose to be a purple Sharpie, okay? Bastards.)
I have adopted a “live and let live” attitude towards others’ religious beliefs. As long as you keep it out of my government and out of our schools and don’t harm your kids or other people, it’s really none of my business. I don’t care. Your religion is your business. I’m cool with that! Just don’t try to convert me, okay? You will only succeed in irritating me and making me not want to be around you. I’m cool with your religion. I expect—indeed, I demand!—that you be cool with my lack of one. See how that works?
Anyway, so why does any church get off on posting such a hostile sign? And yes, I DO think it is hostile. It is saying that MY LIFE IS POINTLESS.
A couple of years ago, I recall seeing a Facebook post from a friend concerning religion and atheists. Another friend commented that they didn’t see how anyone who doesn’t believe in God (their capitalization, not mine) can possibly find any joy in life. I commented that I find joy every day in the things around me. I have a happy life with a husband who is a kind and decent man; I love our cat; I live out in the country in our own little wildlife preserve and I get to see all kinds of birds and other wildlife; I have family and friends who love me; I get to travel and see all kinds of interesting things and meet interesting people. I have so much music to listen to and so many books to read! Joy is everywhere!
Another friend commented, “Beth is one of the happiest people I know.”
The other friend (who didn’t get how anyone without a god could find joy) apologized to me, said that they didn’t know I was an atheist, and then they defriended me.
::sigh:: Okay. I get it. You don’t like having your ideas challenged. That’s fine.
But here is something that people like my former friend, or the church with the stupid sign, need to understand: there are many of us who live productive, meaningful, and very happy lives without relying on any belief in any sort of deity. We enjoy helping others, we have compassion, we want to do good in this world. We do it not because we will reap any reward in some potential afterlife. We do it because we live in the here and now and we want to help in the here and now. It’s not because we want to feel good, although helping others definitely feels good. We do it because it is the right thing to do for our fellow human beings, for our fellow creatures on the planet, AND for our planet!
All that without any sort of god. Kinda crazy, huh?
I won’t be attending your church, you with the nasty sign. I would never say that YOUR life is pointless. I don’t think it’s very nice of you to say that MINE is.
In fact, I think it’s downright un-Christianly.
As is often the case, one can't leave it to the so-called christians to act like, well, christians. But to be honest, when I see an unsharpened pencil, I see possibilities. There are thoughts to be doodled, and ideas to be expressed. There are drawings to be sketched, and plans to be outlined. And lyrics to be written. All very much with a point. And, if they would so desire, more mythology to be added to the many already in existence.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Howard!
DeleteThere are a lot of "points" in religion that are especially negative. I was reading a religious statement out of curiosity once & it ended with-- And the Wicked shall be made to suffer forever.
ReplyDeleteUhm, ok, there's a point for ya. Does that sort of thing maybe feel good & right(righteous) to someone who sees their life as pointless & painful EXCEPT for their religion, their God, their adherence to what their pastor tells them each week? And I did sort of wonder what their version of "wicked" was, but....
I've had bad(with mental health issues)times when I've felt that life was cruel, random & pointless, but I've never felt that latching on to a God would cure that up for me. There are many things without a cure, & wishing for a big magical one may be all some have to hold on to. For whatever my other faults are, I am glad that is not one of them.
i've been plenty happy without god since 10th grade....
ReplyDeletexxalainaxx
...I think as this country becomes more and more secular that the "fire and brimstone" approach to recruiting new believers does more to push people away from religion than towards it... and religion seems to shrink before information, and in the digital age making access to the information that the Church once kept secret only keystrokes away, the only way to get attention is through fear...
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I do believe in God and He is a big part of my life. But as you also know, I respect and admire you for many reasons, and don't judge you or dislike you for not believing in God. I know a lot of people who believe in God who are not happy and who don't live productive lives, so simply believing that God exists doesn't make you happy. I also know a lot of atheists and agnostics who are happy with their lives. We don't have signs outside of our building on which to post pithy sayings, but I have seen a few that make me chuckle. My favorite one was from a couple years ago when we'd had almost non-stop rain. It said, "If you've been praying for rain, please stop!" I honestly do try not to judge anyone for their beliefs. I'll say something about my own if I think that not saying something will compromise my integrity, but I'm not going to push my beliefs down anyone's throat. I try to give the same respect that I ask for. Also, just because I really, really want to make this point -- someone who studies the Bible and doesn't just listen to what a preacher tells them, will know that the Bible doesn't teach that we have immortal souls or that there is a burning hell. It also doesn't teach that when a loved one dies it is because "God has taken him" or "God needed another angel" or it was his "time." I hate it when I hear or read someone saying that as if that could be a comfort to a grieving person. It simply isn't true, according to the Bible. So if someone IS going to claim to believe in and serve a God, that person should at the very least actually try to understand that God to the best of his ability, read, study, and understand the Word that that God gave him, which includes NOT judging other people. I know that I couldn't be happy without God in my life, but that's because he actually IS in my life and not just a word or an idea or a pithy phrase. But I know that others can be happy without Him in their life. This was a good post.
ReplyDeleteI've read Lori for years, as well as corresponded with her through emails. Even when she has not subscribed to some of my views or beliefs AT ALL in a posting, I've always enjoyed reading her because she is measured & non-accusatory ...as well as just being a truly kind & giving person. Someone once said to me: I like you except you are an Atheist. Everything that makes up Lori is just right; it makes Lori Lori.
DeleteHoly cow, I just now saw your comment, Lori! (Things have been a little hectic here lately, to say the least.) Thank you for your kind words. This is why, unlike some of my fellow atheists, I don't bash people with a belief system. It negates something that is very important to a person and is a big part of their life. I have also never felt judged by you, Lori. You walk the walk and that is something I respect. [fist bump]
DeleteThank you both!! I try to "walk the walk" and remember not to be so presumptuous as to think that I have any right to judge anyone else's life choices. I fall short of that sometimes, but I do try. And I like both of you for who you are and for what makes Beth Beth and Mary Mary. :)
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